Secret Agents
by ncischick09
Summary: Does anyone else think they've got something going on, on the side?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ok, here's something that popped into my head after watching last night's episode. I know that it's totally perception and interpretation with those two, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that they're already secretly together.**

Tony wrapped his arms around the woman he'd just come home with and began kissing her face in fast, passionate pecks all over. His hand tangled in her hair and his other arm pulled her as close as possible to his aching body.

"I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up, Ziva. I especially hate when Gibbs sends me somewhere without you. I can hack it if I can see you, but if I have to go more than two hours without at least looking into your beautiful eyes, I feel like it's summer all over again," Tony managed to get the words out between feverish kisses and caresses.

Ziva was no longer shocked by Tony's newfound honesty and willingness to talk about the darkest period in both of their lives. They had come to the mutual understanding that it actually helped them recover more fully from it. She affectionately returned his gestures, but managed to drop her backpack and disentangle his from his shoulder and down his arm and also onto the floor. She took both of their jackets off and turned their bodies to hang them on the coat rack, all the while submitting to Tony's ministrations. She knew that she needed to be in contact with him as much as he needed it from her. They both still struggled to believe in their new reality.

"I don't know how he did it. Even if I had amnesia, I'm quite certain I could never forget you. I definitely wouldn't ever marry anyone else over money!" Tony pulled back long enough to cup her face with his hands and then kiss her deeply on the mouth. "God, I love you so much."

Ziva looked at Tony's earnest green eyes and returned his kiss. "I love you, too Tony, but we are not married!" Ziva laughed.

"Yet!" Tony laughed along. "Don't think I didn't catch your ring size last week, missy!" he squinted at her.

"I think you might actually have amnesia, Tony. My name is Ziva, not Missy," she laughed, pulling away to walk into the kitchen.

"Oh, you know what I meant…nice deflection, though. I can take a hint to drop a conversation, Zi, it's okay."

Ziva stifled a giggle. "What do you feel like having for dinner tonight, amore mio?"

"Well, I was thinking we could get dressed up and go out for a nice, fancy dinner, but you've seriously made me rethink those plans, nechama sheli," Tony teased.

"Oh, Tony, stop it! You and I both know you have no intention of taking me up on a marriage proposal after a simple slip of the mouth about my ring size!"

"It's slip of the tongue, Zi, and if you keep being so mean to me in front of the team, I would agree with you!" Tony pouted.

Ziva turned from her search of the refrigerator and walked over to where Tony continued to pout. This time, she cupped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. "Oh my furry little bear, you know that if I suddenly did not insult you in any way that they would be suspicious! But, I will try to tone it down if it really bothers you." She ran her hands down his neck and over his chest, moving up his shoulders and down his biceps. Tony shuddered.

"You know you can make me forget my name when you touch me like that," he laughed. "And you can insult me as much as you want!"

"And you know that if I touched you like this while I insulted you at work that there would be absolutely no point in my continuing to insult you," Ziva breathed in his ear.

"I know that if we move this discussion into the bedroom I won't think about you insulting me at work for at least a week," Tony panted while gently dragging them towards the hallway.

"And you know that I know that if we continue this discussion in the bedroom that I will have to doubly insult you tomorrow to pull you out of your reverie about tonight so that you do not inadvertently give us away," Ziva whispered.

"Then, I suppose it's a good thing we're so good at keeping secrets, Agent David," Tony said as he closed the bedroom door.

**You know what's frightening? The idea that there are millions of people walking around this world who have NO internal monologue. Chew on that one for awhile. Scary, isn't it?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ok, so on a reviewer's suggestion, I'm continuing this. Yes, I know I should be working on my other story, but I'm stuck! I'll get it out eventually…**

Ziva lay in bed awake that night, unable to sleep. She felt Tony's chest rising and falling rhythmically beneath her cheek, and his thumb had fallen heavily on her upper arm in place of its steady, comforting movement. He had not yet begun to snore, though, so she knew he had only just slipped into sleep.

"Why did you say I do not have any friends, Tony?" She asked him quietly.

Tony started at the sound of Ziva's voice as it ripped him quickly from his new-found state of dreaming. "What?"

"Why do you think I have no friends?" She questioned again.

"Why didn't you eat my Valentine's candy?" He shot back with a yawn.

"I am serious, Tony. It is not bad enough that you cancel our date tonight, but then you have to insult me, as well?" She pulled his chest hair.

"Ow! What the hell, Zi?" Tony was wide awake, now. "I'm sorry the case ran so late, ok? We missed our dinner reservations; there was nothing I could do about that! And you seemed just as eager as I was to stick around and see Borin's exit. And you know I didn't mean anything by the friends comment!"

"Then why did you say it?" She whispered.

Tony sighed and rubbed his free hand over his face, "Zi…"

"I have friends, you know, Tony," Ziva stated emphatically.

Tony sighed again and rolled his eyes, "Yes, Ziva, I know you have friends. Happy, now?"

"No! Not if I have to force it from you! Tell me why you think I have no friends!" Ziva lifted herself off Tony's chest and was facing him, supporting herself on one arm.

"Tell _me_ why this is bothering you so much? I'm not laying here, taking offense because you said I _wasn't_ your friend!" Tony removed his arm from around Ziva and placed his hands under his head, closing his eyes again.

"Because I feel as though I have no friends," she looked down and whispered.

Tony's eyes widened and his head shot up. "You do too have friends, Ziva!"

She chuckled softly and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I know. Thank you for admitting it. Good night, Tony." And with that, she settled herself back into her former position on his chest, kissing it one more time for good measure.

Tony laughed out loud and grinned to himself, putting his arm again around Ziva and gathering her more closely into him. "You drive me absolutely insane, Ziva David. The next time you want to get me to admit something, can we play while I'm not trying to sleep?"

"It would not be as satisfying a conquest if that were the case, Tony. And by the way, the next time I do not eat one of your cheesy little gifts, can you not make such a big deal about it in front of Tim? You are going to blow our cover one of these days."

Tony yawned again, closing his eyes and wrapping his other arm around Ziva, as well. "I don't know what you're so worried about, Zi," he mumbled into the top of her head. "You know I work best under cover."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Alright, tonight's episode really ticked me off for two reasons: 1. it kinda blows my theory of a secret relationship out of the water…maybe. 2. NO NEW EPI next week!!!! No preview means no new epi, so no new epi. Boo. :( I don't think I've run the usual disclaimer for this story, yet, so…disclaimed.**

Tony yawned and rolled over again in bed. "Really, Zi? This can't wait 'til tomorrow?"

"No, Tony. Why can you just not tell me what ended it?" Ziva was studying his face, as best she could in the dark from her position on her side of the bed, her head propped up on her hand, arm resting on her elbow.

"He said some stuff about you and Probie that I didn't like, ok? Satisfied?" Tony stifled another yawn, while trying unsuccessfully to stare her down.

"No, I am not satisfied. Tell me what he said."

Tony cracked open one eye and smirked at her. "Are we jealous, David? Jealous of my man-mance, as you called it?" He nuzzled his face into her neck, trying desperately to change the subject. Neither she nor Tim needed to know what Phil had said about them; it would serve no good. "I promise I'd never put anyone else above you, least of all him," he managed to get out between fevered kisses on her neck.

She pushed him back to his side with one deft blow to the chest and glared at him.

"You know, I told him that about you…how strong you were." He winked and gave her his most charming (read: childish) grin.

Ziva's eyes widened. "You told him about us?"

Tony laughed outright. "No, Zi, don't worry your pretty little head. No one knows."

"Is that why you told Tim you needed a fly man to get a date with the hot museum girl?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Zee-vah, it's _wing_ man, and yeah. If you're gonna rake me over the coals at work to keep our cover, I figured I had to pull my load by chasing skirts." Tony closed his eyes and yawned again.

Ziva laid down on her pillow with a huff. "I cannot even pretend to understand what you just said, Tony. But, I am not at all happy about your trying to score a date with McGee's help."

Tony rolled over and tried to pull Ziva to him as she fought against his advances. "Awww, honey. It's just a cover. Just like you said you still have to be so mean to me to keep up appearances. I figured if anyone was gonna see through us, it'd be McGee, so I had to step up my game."

Ziva stared at him, unbelievingly, from her side of the bed.

"He was in the room with us, remember?" Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair, now lying on his back. "He heard a lot more than just my admission of not being able to live without you."

Ziva touched Tony's chest, bringing him back to the present. "Tony, it's ok. I'm here. What did McCadden say?"

Tony looked at her, suddenly aware that she was really beside him. That this was real. "He called Tim a geek, and said he'd like to get you a cookie because you're a cupcake."

Ziva just looked at him, completely lost.

"I couldn't let him say anything about Tim, Zi. I just couldn't. Probie should not have been on that floor. He shouldn't have heard anything. He shouldn't have followed me. No. I shouldn't have volunteered him. He shouldn't have agreed."

Ziva ran her hand through his thick hair. "You are like a brother to him, Tony. Of course he followed you."

Tony laughed dryly. "And I had to fight so hard from hitting him when he talked about you that way. He can't talk that way about you. But, that would've blown our cover for sure."

"I still do not understand what he said about me. I am not a cupcake. And I do not particularly like cookies." Ziva shook her head in confusion.

"It doesn't matter. You're my cupcake. And I'll be the only one feeding you any cookies." He laughed and kissed her head, which was now resting on his chest.

"I heard you did not perform so well on your op this evening. Something about Holly having to fix you up because you were not believable enough?" She laughed coyly.

"Yeah, guess my head's just not in the game anymore." Tony yawned again and pulled Ziva closer to his rapidly tiring body.

"We are not married, Tony. You could have at least enjoyed yourself, since it was work-related." She snuck a peek at his peaceful face, looking for a reaction.

"We're only not married because you won't let me get you a ring or tell anyone about us," he mumbled sleepily.

"Well, you ended a beneficial friendship for mine and Tim's benefit, you refused to enjoy an otherwise enjoyable op for me, and you honor my wishes to keep our relationship status quo and secret. Let me at least reward you for all your good behavior," she began kissing his chest and snuggling into him suggestively. Ziva abruptly stopped and sat upright when met with a soft snore from her bedmate. She kissed him gently on the lips and then got comfortable on his chest, again.

Yawning and closing her eyes, she whispered to him, "Oh, Tony. We do not need the rings or announcements. We are already married."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Did anyone else think tonight's episode was particularly funny?**

Tony walked into the bedroom after ending his call and placed his cell on the charger on the nightstand. Ziva looked up from her position propped on her pillows against the headboard of their bed, snuggled in and reading an American History book and raised her eyebrow at him as he undressed and put on his pajamas.

"Susan did not accept his offer?" She questioned him.

"I can't believe McGoo struck out with Polygraph Girl!" He exclaimed as he crawled under the covers. "I mean, that one was practically in the bag for him!"

Ziva yawned and placed her book on her nightstand and turned off the lamp. As she turned to lay down on the bed, she adjusted her pillows and softly replied, "Sometimes the way we see others changes, Tony. You should know that."

As Ziva lay down on the bed, Tony opened his arms for her and gathered her into his chest. She wiggled until she had found the most comfortable position and he began stroking her hair.

"What did you ever see in me, Ziva?" Although he was talking softly, she could not mistake the seriousness of his tone. Self-doubt was something Anthony DiNozzo was definitely a pro about.

"Well. How do I describe it?" She began. She thought briefly about how to proceed in a way that he would completely understand her, with no room left for interpretation as she began caressing his chest fondly.

"It was not like in a movie, or romance novel. It happened without me even being able to pinpoint the exact day and time. It was gradual, natural. We were friends first, and foremost. And our partnership meant so much, that we both kept our romantic feelings under wraps for a long time, hoping not to ruin the special bond we already had, lest Gibbs tear us apart or it not work out."

Tony stifled a yawn as he nodded his head in agreement. "But, when did that change?"

"Around Halloween, I believe. When Gibbs made me get on your shoulders in that cornfield, I fought against having any physical contact with you. But," she sighed, "when you got the cramp in your neck, I began to massage it without a second thought. And that's when I realized that touching you, being near you, with you…it was more natural to me than being without you."

Tony chuckled softly. "So that crack about soul mates a coupla years ago? That was really just about the band?"

Ziva swatted his chest gently. "You are an idiot, Tony. Do you know that? No, it was not about the band."

"You're exhausting, Ziva. Do you know that?"

She raised on her elbow to gaze at his sleepy face in utter confusion. He cracked one eye open at the weight of her stare and shrugged his shoulders.

"All these years of mutual pretending and denial, and for what? To end up in the same place we could have been in years ago? It was exhausting." He closed his eyes again as she settled back into his side.

"You were right, Tony," she whispered quietly.

"About what, sweetheart?" He whispered back.

"It was inevitable."

"Nothing's inevitable, Zi. And I'll never stop appreciating how right you were. G'night."

"Good night, my love."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok, not really sure how I can continue with this after tonight's epi, but I'll roll with it. Let me know how you think I did! Of course, I'm going to have to borrow a page from SB (who I am no way affiliated with) and totally go off page with characterizations, and screw up canon and plot lines…but, I'm not bitter.**

The apartment was dark and quiet, but only one of its occupants lay in bed, wide awake. Strangely enough, not even the television was on. Ziva rolled over and looked at the alarm clock on the night stand. 0200. With a sigh, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the living room. She knew he'd been home since midnight, she could only assume he'd been at Gibbs'. She did not know why, however, he had yet to come to bed. She'd been stewing about the past few days' events since she returned home. Tony had not even bothered to come home the night before. She had guessed he'd slept at the office. But, now, she couldn't wait any longer for the resolution she so desperately needed.

She padded into the living room, and made out his form sitting upright on the couch. The room was perfectly silent, so she knew he wasn't asleep. She couldn't be certain in the dark, but she thought he did not even turn his head to acknowledge her presence. She wasn't even trying to be stealthy, this time. She made her way to the couch, and sure enough, he didn't even seem to notice her.

"Tony?"

Tony's head suddenly shot to the sound intruding on his private thoughts. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" His voice sounded groggy, though it was obvious he was wide awake.

"How could you have woken me? You are not making a sound. Why are you sitting out here, alone, in the dark?" Ziva sat on the other end of the couch.

"I just couldn't sleep, yet." He returned to staring at the air in front of him.

"Is she gone?" Ziva whispered.

"Yeah," was his only whispered reply.

"Tony, why are you doing this? Are you really in love with someone you've never even truly known?" The tears crept into Ziva's voice, against her will.

Tony looked over at Ziva, confusion knitting his brow. "What? Why would you think I was in love with her?"

"You have been outright obsessed with her, since we began the case, Tony! And after your stunt with Brenda, I am not sure what to think!" Ziva popped up from her seat on the couch, throwing her arms up in confusion and began pacing the area in front of the television.

"I just thought I could make a difference this time," he whispered, not even attempting to defend himself.

Ziva stopped her pacing and turned towards him. "Make a difference? This time? Tony, what on earth are you talking about?"

"I thought I could save her, Zi. The way I couldn't save you." Tony sighed and rested his head in his hands, trying to hold back the sobs that were forcing their way to the surface. He wouldn't break, now. Not even in front of Ziva.

Ziva's head cocked back in shock and disbelief. She rounded the coffee table and crouched in front of him. "But, Tony. You _did_ save me." She whispered gently, trying to pry his hands away from his face.

"No, I didn't. Not really. I wasn't coming to save you, Ziva. I was coming for revenge and to die. I didn't go to save you."

Seeing that she was not going to get him to look at her, she settled again on the couch next to him and wrapped one slender arm around his back, leaning her head on his hunched shoulder. She sighed.

"Oh, Tony. Sometimes, we get lucky. Sometimes we do not."

"I watched her die tonight, Ziva. It was so awful. She knew she was dying; she knew there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. The way she looked at me, though…I could tell she was pleading. Still trying to find a way out. And all I could do was stand there, helpless, and watch." Tony cracked, and the sob escaped.

Ziva began rubbing his back and whispering comforting words in a language he did not know.

Tony abruptly rose from the couch, forcefully wiping away the tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "And you were right, you know? What kind of woman would want me? I can't do anything, anyway." He walked briskly towards the bedroom.

As Ziva entered their bedroom, she could see him tearing off his work clothes in sheer frustration. She came up behind him and placed her arms around his back, soothing his chest with her hands. "I want you."

Tony turned around, removing her hands from his body. "No, you don't. You made that pretty obvious over the course of this case. And I understand, I really do. How can I provide for you, if I can't even protect you?"

Ziva put her hands on her hips as he turned to the dresser to fish out some pajama pants and a t-shirt. "I do not ask for your protection, Tony. Only your love and fidelity. And excuse me if I had a hard time believing in your faithfulness the last two days."

Tony ran a hand through his hair and slipped on the shirt. "I'm gonna go sleep on the couch. We're off tomorrow, so I'll start looking for a new place. You deserve way better than me, and we both know it." He went to the bed to grab his pillow.

"This is your apartment, Tony. If this is really what you want, then I will be the one to look for a new place tomorrow."

"I do love you, Ziva. And, I always will. At least this is one small thing I can do to feel like I've done something, _anything_, for you. You stay here. I'll go." And with that, he went, closing the door behind him.

**Yeah, so sorry if that's not the usual fluffy, happiness. But, that's totally how I'm feeling after tonight. :(**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is a special present for SnoopMaryMar…feel better, chickie!**

Tony awoke in the still dark apartment to the sounds of sobbing coming from down the hall. He hoisted himself off the couch and sleepily made his way towards the sound. When he reached the bedroom, he expected to find Ziva in the throes of another nightmare, but instead found the bed empty. His attention turned towards the bathroom door, where a light was peering from under the closure. He approached it timidly and gently knocked.

"Ziva?" He spoke loud enough to be heard through the door, but gently enough to not startle her.

The bathroom door abruptly swung open, revealing a tired, yet calm looking Israeli. If she had been crying, he couldn't easily tell.

"What are you doing up? It's only 0500." He leaned against the door frame as she pushed her way past him into the bedroom.

"I am going for my morning run. You may have the bed, if you wish. We do not have to go in today." Ziva donned her jacket and sat on the edge of the bed, tying her running shoes.

Tony yawned and stretched his arms over his lanky frame as he watched her. "That sounds good, thanks. Did you even sleep, at all?" He crawled onto the bed around her, sprawling out in an effort to stretch his aching back.

"I slept enough. If I am still tired after my run, I may go back to sleep. We will see."

Tony yawned, struggling to maintain consciousness. "Ok, Zi. I'll be here when you get back."

Tony awoke to the feeling of a warm, toned body curled up against him. When he cracked his eye open, the early morning sunlight was streaming into the bedroom. A quick glance at the alarm clock revealed the time: 0900.

In a groggy, husky voice he woke the sleeping woman beside him. "Ziva? What are you doing here?"

Ziva awoke with a start to the sound of Tony's tired, gravelly voice. Instinctually, she pulled him tighter to her, squeezing the slender arm she had wrapped around his chest. "Oh, Tony. You startled me." She snuggled her head further into his chest, without answering his question.

"Ziva?"

"I am sorry, Tony. It was selfish of me, I know. I just wanted to hang onto you, to us, for a few more hours. The way you have acted the last few days hurt me, yes. I will not lie. But, it does not mean I have stopped loving you, or wanting you. When I get…snarky…with you, I am just trying to protect myself from being hurt. From you walking away. But, that is happening now, anyway, so…I am sorry."

Tony noticed the dampness of his shirt, though Ziva remained motionless and silent.

"I'm sorry, too, Zi. I really am. I do love you. I just…I still don't know how to make this work. And you know what a baby I am. When you insult me in front of the team, and then say it's because you're trying to keep everyone in the dark…well, it's getting to me. When you keep insisting we have to keep this whole thing secret, and all I wanna do is tell everyone about us, I start to wonder if it's only the rules that are your reason." Tony sighed, "I'm getting too old for this, Ziva. I want a real life, a real family. Not this…sham we have goin' on."

"I know, Tony. I know. Coincidentally, how much did you pay Brenda?" Ziva yawned and began absentmindedly rubbing Tony's chest.

"Ahh, only a hundred. Said she liked you, and would do anything to help you find true love with your very own Prince Charming. Been talkin' about me with the barista,

Zi-va?"

"Brenda is sweet. She works hard to pay for school. It was good of you to give her the money. She did us a favor. Tony, can I ask you a favor?"

Tony hummed his assent, while stroking Ziva's curly, dark hair.

"Can you just wait? We have the day off. We can lay in bed, and do nothing. If, after today together, you still want to go, I will not stop you. But, just give us today."

Tony yawned again and pulled Ziva tight against his chest. "Ok, Zi. Just for today."

**Here's to hoping it gets better next week! :P**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: My own personal PSA…Autism is a spectrum disorder that is being diagnosed on an epidemic proportion in modern society. There is no known cause and no known "cure." The only defense is a good offense. Know the warning signs. Seek early diagnosis and intervention. Go to ****.org**** to learn more. I am taking my son first thing in the morning for our initial round of clinical evals. Wish us luck!**

"Tonight, Tony?" Ziva quietly asked as she locked the front door behind her while Tony shook off his jacket and dispensed of his keys, phone, gun, go bag, and shoes.

"No, Zi. Not tonight. You want me to sleep on the couch?" His voice was tired and strained as he made his way into the kitchen to scrounge for some meager dinner after another long day of arresting criminals.

It was a pattern that they'd repeated all week. Since Tony had first agreed to stay, he'd made no real efforts to seek new living arrangements. Ziva, for her part, asked every night in trepidation, not anxiousness. Tony knew it. Ziva knew he knew it. They'd honestly been so busy with casework, neither believed there had been any real time or rush for him to begin the search. Still, it was there…weighing in the back of their minds.

It was 2300 and though they were both in bed, neither slept. Instead, they lay locked together in their usual, comfortable position. Tony, on his back, with Ziva curled up into his side, her hand aimlessly playing with his chest hair, and his arm wrapped around her waist.

"How about that? I really hadn't pegged the bartender. Did you?" Tony yawned, but couldn't stop his mind from wandering listlessly.

"Yes. And if you hadn't been so distracted, you would have, as well. You could have gotten us both killed in that bar, Tony." Ziva softly admonished him, truly not wanting to start a fight.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just…I hate this feeling of limbo between us. But, I'm not as ready to just walk away as I should be, I guess. I just can't shake this feeling deep down in my gut that something big…something horrible is about to happen, and…I dunno, it just makes me want to hold onto you that much tighter. Does that make any sense?"

"It is alright, Tony. I cannot shake the same…feeling. It was almost a year ago that I stayed in Israel. I know I am holding you tighter at night." She smirked. "I hope I am not hurting you."

Tony chuckled softly. "I'd tell you if you were. Hey wait, how did you know it was the bartender?"

It was Ziva's turn to laugh quietly. "She was a little _too_ helpful. It seemed like she was trying to throw us off the path."

"Off the trail, Zi. Not path, trail."

"Oh, whatever. They mean exactly the same thing!"

They both quieted and Tony began to doze off when Ziva startled him.

"Has Abby seemed…different to you since she and McGee returned from Mexico, Tony?"

Tony jumped at the sound of Ziva's voice and she caressed his chest, sorry to have awakened him.

"Huh? What? Different, like how?" He replied hazily.

"I cannot put my finger on it. You have known her longer than I have. Surely, you have noticed?"

"Well, McGoo said something about hurting her feelings with a weight joke. Think maybe she's just mad at her chaperone?"

"Her weight? No, I'm not talking about tension between her and McGee. It is something else. She is definitely tense, but I am not sure why."

"Maybe she's tense about gaining a coupla pounds." He yawned.

"She has put on a few pounds, but I still do not think that is it." Ziva furrowed her brow, trying to recollect anything that would help her make the connection.

"Hey, hey, hey! Just because you and McMoss are losing _too much_ weight doesn't mean you should run around makin' me and Abs feel bad! You know, we're a bit older than you Probies and the ole metabolism just isn't what it used to be! You could stand to put on a few more pounds, breaks my heart to watch you eat. You still haven't put back on all the weight you lost in Somalia, and don't get me started on McModel…" He trailed off, rubbing his hand over Ziva's slender arm.

Ziva laughed. "I am sorry I woke you. I am fine. You see me eat three times a day. God forbid I skip a meal, you will be all over my shoulders!"

"Back. I'm on your back. Just like I have your back, see? Because I do."

"Ok, Tony. You are no longer making sense. Time for sleep. Goodnight." Ziva leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, then settled back down in her spot.

Tony leaned to the side and kissed the top of her head. "Night, Zi."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry I'm behind on updates. I'll try to get to the finale chapter by the end of the holiday weekend. This summer is going to be sooooooooooo long! **

Tony let Ziva in the door first, and had no sooner closed it behind them than he wrapped her up in his strong arms. It was a change from the usual routine, since the Dana incident.

"Are you ok, Zi? I'm so sorry." Tony had buried his face into the top of Ziva's hair and though she barely understood his mumbling, she immediately knew the sentiment he was trying to convey.

Ziva gently pushed him back, allowing him to see her face; to see her look him in the eyes. "I am fine, Tony. Thank you." She walked into the kitchen to begin dinner, after depositing the day's usual items as she normally would.

Tony stood there, shell shocked. He shouted as he put away his own things, "That's it?" He followed Ziva into the kitchen, where she had already begun working at the stove. "Seriously?"

Ziva did not turn around, but continued cooking as she responded in all earnestness. "What did you expect me to say, Tony?"

Although she wasn't looking, Tony furrowed his brow at the idea. "Oh, I dunno…how about, yeah it was awful, but I didn't let it stop me. Or, it brought back a lot of bad memories, but I got through it. I mean, you're acting like nothing about this case bothered you." He shoved his hands in his pockets and nervously rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Tony, it would seem you are the one who is bothered, currently." She smirked into the sauce pan, knowing full well that he would be further irritated that she didn't need to turn around to realize what he was doing.

"So, what if I am bothered? At least I'm not afraid to admit it. I can't even tell you how much this whole case bothered me. And the worst part is, I'm not sure which part bothers me the most!" He ran his hands through his hair and stormed out of the kitchen towards the bedroom.

Tony jerked off his tie and threw it in the corner of the room, haphazardly. He sat down on the bed with a huff and pondered the last few days' events. He had never met Agent Macy, but Tim had filled him in while they were combing the Desert desert last summer. Neither was entirely sure, but between the two of them had figured she had something to do with Gibbs' mysterious past. She was another piece of his enigmatic puzzle, of that much they were certain. It didn't matter. Tony never took the death of a fellow agent lightly. And seeing how greatly it affected Gibbs didn't help to settle the increasingly bad feeling in his stomach that something big was about to go down. He threw himself backwards on the bed, sighing. Just once, he thought, he would like a normal, relaxing summer. A summer to actually use some of his vacation time and head to the beach. A summer to stay out until the sun went down. A summer to not have to worry about anyone. And to think, her murder had only been the tip of the iceberg with this one. He closed his eyes, remembering the look on Ziva's face when he began questioning the Petty Officer about the rape accusations. She covered it well, but he could see the storm brewing in her eyes. He'd tried hard to stand just a little closer to her, always be within touching distance without actually touching. He stayed in the shadows and tried to let her take charge of the questioning, but when she faltered, he was there to pick up the slack. Sometimes his own strength amazed him. He wanted nothing more than to sit in that corner and curl into the fetal position, forgetting everything that he knew. Even forgetting the woman he loved, because sometimes…sometimes, it was just all too painful.

He was startled from his fitful sleep by the sensation of his shirt being unbuttoned. When he cracked his eyes open and tried to dispel the dream from reality, he finally focused on Ziva straddling him and looking like a child who'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. The mental analogy caused him to crack a smile. "Can I help you with something, David?"

"I am sorry, Tony. I did not mean to wake you. I was only trying to get you into bed." She broke eye contact to resume her task. He realized she was already in her pajamas and that it was dark.

"I can see that," he chortled.

"You know what I meant. If you are awake now, you can finish undressing yourself. I made alfredo for dinner if you are hungry. It is in the refrigerator." She moved to get up, only to let herself be pulled down beside him.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I know this was hard on you and you were only trying to be professional. I want you to know I think you did a great job." He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Tony. I am glad you appreciate how difficult it was for me to…maintain myself."

"Contain."

"Excuse me?"

"It was difficult for you to contain yourself, not maintain yourself."

"I truly think I meant maintain." She furrowed her brow, contemplating the definitions of both words.

Tony shrugged and wrapped his free arm around her, enveloping her. "Same difference," he mumbled into her hair.

Ziva shot up from his embrace, pointing her finger at him in the dark. "Aha! You see? Same difference!" She crossed her arms over her chest triumphantly.

Tony laughed and rolled himself up to change out of his work clothes. "Alright. You win this round, David."

Ziva cocked her head to the side as she furrowed her brow and climbed under the covers. "We play for the same team, do we not?"

Tony climbed into bed beside Ziva and gently kissed her goodnight. "We do."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ummm, yeah. Apparently, I hadn't posted this. Sorry about that. Here's the post-ep for Rule 51. How about that for a mid-summer without NCIS present? **

Ziva closed the door and locked it behind her when she entered the apartment. She tried unsuccessfully to stifle the sob that had been building in her chest from the moment she realized they weren't coming. Neither of them. It had taken every effort to smile and accept Tim and Abby's lunch invitation when all she really wanted to do was this. Throughout the entire meal, she chewed and swallowed mechanically, all the while running through her mind when things had gone wrong…and why. Gibbs had not been around much, since he and the director's little spat, but she had expected him to maintain his distance. She would do the same thing in his situation. She could only surmise what had really gone down in Mexico, but it was easy enough to read between the lines on the plane ride back to DC. She would distance herself, too, if she were in his shoes. And she had been. So, no. Gibbs was not a surprise. She had expected him still to be at the ceremony, but she wasn't so selfish as to assume that he didn't have more important things on his mind. She would wait until this evening, and if she had not heard from him, she would go to him and make sure he was alright. Her instincts were not screaming at her that he was in danger, though, and she knew as well as anyone that he was capable of taking care of himself.

Tony, on the other hand…what potentially had kept Tony from the ceremony terrified her. Sure, he had stayed late in Vance's office last night, after she and Tim had been dismissed. But, Tony was the lead on the op to get Dean. Nothing suspicious there. They'd left together from work more easily than usual, since everyone else had already gone home for the night. He'd been quiet, but he hadn't seemed angry or anxious, so she simply attributed it to the stress of the op. She herself was too exhausted to even really anticipate the ceremony this morning. In fact, she allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in until she needed to be up to get ready for the swearing in. Taking a day off from running was not something she normally did, but she thought Tony would be amused by her new lazy, American antics. When she woke, however, he was already long gone. Still, she had anticipated that he would pull something this morning. She expected it to be a crazy DiNozzo gift or gesture. Not his disappearance without a word.

Ziva suddenly bolted up from where she'd slid to the floor against the front door. _Had he left? _ Had he actually moved out, as they'd discussed after the Hutton fiasco? She'd been so absorbed in preparing for her own day that morning, she hadn't been looking for any unusual signs of his absence. His suits were still hanging in the closet; his shoes on the floor. She spun around to the dresser, flinging open the drawers, one after another. Nothing missing, except the usual dirty laundry. Ziva frowned, placing her hands on her hips and staring at the bed. Now, she was just worried. As she glanced towards the nightstand, intent on checking the time, she noticed it. A small white envelope addressed to her. She gingerly picked it up, sitting on their bed to read.

_Zi,_

_Plausible deniability and such, just know I'll be back as soon as I can._

_Orders. I know you'll understand. Good luck this morning!_

_T_

Well, that was that. Ziva sighed and rested her head against the headboard on Tony's side of the bed. All she could do now was…wait.

**So, that's it for season 7! I'll see if season 8 gives me anything to work with! One can only hope! :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Yeahhhhh, so I have some catching up to do. I'll try to have it all posted and caught up by tonight, but I may have to re-watch some eps to do this, so maybe not until tomorrow night for the complete catch up. But, if I were you, I wouldn't be waiting with baited breath for my next work…more like waiting with said breath for something new from SnoopMaryMar, LittleSammy, or jelenamichel. (That was not a gratuitous shout-out to my favorite authoresses, in any way shape, or form.) Speaking of disclaimers, so let it be done.**

Tony rolled over and looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 0200. And to think, he'd only been home for about two hours. He sighed as he realized sleep was not going to come, this night. The lack of snoring on the other side of the bed alerted him to the fact that his bedmate was also still awake. The chasm in the middle of the bed should have alerted him to the fact that she did not want to talk, but still…

"Zi? You still awake?" He whispered softly.

Ziva sighed and rolled over to face her partner. "Yes, Tony. I am still awake."

"I can't sleep," he whined.

"I noticed. What is it?"

"Well, I mean, we haven't been together for most of the summer. How was your trip? You didn't say much on the way home tonight." He gave her his best sheepish grin, hoping to elicit any tidbit of information about the past two weeks of her existence.

Ziva sighed again and rolled over again, with her back facing Tony. "I do not want to talk about it, Tony. I am tired. I want to sleep. If you cannot sleep, then go and sit in your chair and turn on a movie."

Tony took a deep breath, then took a chance. He scooted over to Ziva's side of the bed, in a futile and awkward attempt to spoon her. "I don't want to leave our bed; I don't want to go watch a stupid movie; I want to talk to you. Are you still mad about me missing your swearing in ceremony?"

"No, Tony. I am not mad. I am tired." She wriggled free from his embrace and made for the bathroom. "Now, by the time I return, you had better either be asleep or in front of the television."

"Why won't you talk to me? Do you _want_ me to move out?" He realized he was getting desperate.

Ziva turned to face the bed and put her hands on her hips. "Orders, Tony. I am under orders. Just as you were when you went to Mexico. _I know you'll understand._"

Tony moved back to his side of the bed, propping his head on his hands, folded behind it. "Yep. She's still mad."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Post-ep for Worst Nightmare. Season 8 wasn't giving me much to work with until last night, so I'm rolling with it in a slightly different way…hopefully, all will work out as per spoilers for November sweeps!**

Tony jiggled his keys in the lock to announce to the primary resident his intent to enter. "It is open, Tony!" The nonchalant voice carried through the door. Opening the door and squinting around for the source of the voice, he prepared himself for imminent attack. Instead, upon fully entering the apartment, he discovered his would-be attacker sprawled out on the couch, reading a book.

She peeked over the top of her novel at the same time that he leaned over the back of the couch. "How'd you know it was me?"

"I am the only other person who has keys to this apartment. Who else could it have been trying to unlock the already unlocked door?" She smirked, then continued reading.

"Good point. You're up late. Can't sleep?" He yawned at the mention of the coveted

s-word.

"I was waiting for you. I could sleep quite easily," she shrugged casually.

Tony put on his most puzzled expression before opening his mouth, thinking, then shutting it again. After a deep breath and several more chaotic moments of thinking he whispered, "How did you know I'd be here?"

She looked up in all earnestness from her book, making direct eye contact with the confused man before directing her line of sight to the pile of boxes by the front door. "I knew you'd come for the last boxes."

"Oh. Right." He chuckled mirthlessly and masked the hurt with his best grin. "Did you eat, yet? I'm starving. You wanna get something?"

She laughed the deep, throaty laugh that she always saved just for him. "I have already eaten, Tony. There are leftovers in the fridge. Help yourself."

His surprise at the invitation did not go unnoticed by his host. "We are still friends. We can still have dinner and movie nights, if you wish."

But her consolation was lost on the man. Upon receiving no response, she found him staring off into space and frowning.

_"Why can't you just tell me something, anything about your trip? I've told you all about mine. I've apologized in as many ways as I know how for missing your ceremony! It wasn't my fault! It was the Director's orders!" _

_Ziva sighed and rubbed her forehead with her fist. "This is not going to work, Tony. I think it is time we admitted defeat."_

"_Defeat?" Now, he was well and truly yelling. "Defeated by what? Lack of communication skills?"_

"_There will always be orders, Tony. There will always be secrets. Are you willing to give up your career? Because I am not." She spoke calmly, and turned her eyes to meet his, awaiting a response._

"_No." _

He shook his head, pulling himself from his reverie. "Uh, I'm sorry. I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I'll just load these boxes and go. It might take me a few trips. That ok?" He straightened himself up, cracking his spine as he lengthened.

She quickly rose from the couch and put her hand on his back to stop him. "Tony, it is alright. If you are so tired, then stay here and sleep. Come, I am also exhausted. Cases involving children always take a toll on the whole team."

He stiffened at her touch and spoke quietly, without turning to face her. "I don't think that would be a good idea. I'll just take the boxes and go."

"I should not be surprised. You are certainly being very grouchy at work."

"Yeah, and you certainly are putting up a cheery front, except for fidgeting whenever I talk to you."

"First of all, I do not fidget. And secondly, we both agreed this was for the best. This was mutual. Do not treat me like the bad gal," she hissed.

"It's guy. The bad guy. And I know it was mutual. And you were right, just like you always are. But, I refuse to do the friends with benefits thing, Ziva. Not again. Never again."

"I am not a man, I am a woman, and the appropriate feminine of guy is gal. I also never suggested that we become friends with benefits."

He opened the door, then bent down to pick up as many of the small boxes as he could fit in his arms. "No, you just want me here when the nightmares surface only so you can push me away during the daylight. I can't do that, anymore. So, I'll just see you at work on Monday. Do me a favor and bring these last two boxes to work with you, and I'll just get them out of your car instead of having to come back over here." He turned and walked down the hall, leaving her to close the door for him.

As she stared down the way after him, she threw her head back against the door frame. "Anything, Tony…for you." She whispered to no one in particular.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Post-ep for Short Fuse. This one improved things quite a bit for me, but something still seems…off. I'll roll with it, hope you enjoy!**

Tony was laying on his back in his own bed, hands folded and comfortably pillowing his head. He was surprised at a lot of things over the past few days. Trying to sort through them, and the case, was exhausting. Rather than think too much on it, he'd busied himself in his off hours by finally unpacking his boxes and trying to arrange his apartment into some semblance of normalcy. It had, after all, been a little over a month since he moved out of his old place…it was time to move on. He was genuinely glad to leave Ziva the apartment and make a fresh start for himself. He'd been accumulating too many bad memories and too much junk over the years, anyway. He smirked to himself. Maybe that shrink had paid off, after all.

He sighed and kicked off his shoes onto the floor by the bed. He'd walked in and ignored the mess around him, opting to head straight for relaxation land. He deserved it, he figured. Pretending the brochure cover didn't bother him in front of his teammates had been an Oscar winning performance, if he did say so himself. He knew, of course, that Ziva had expected an outburst. Why else would she have been so quick to point out, childishly he might add, that his shoulder was in the background? So, he played along; childishly appearing delighted at the discovery. When did Gibbs get Vance in his back pocket, he wondered? Sure, it was no secret that Vance never cared much for _him_, but he had gotten the distinct impression over the last few years that Vance trusted Gibbs about as much. What had changed, and when did he miss it? For as much as his instincts served useful during this last case, they must be getting rusty if he'd missed that turning point. He furrowed his brow and wondered if Vance didn't realize the potential for disaster if the Mexican government decided to dig a little deeper into the whole Reynosa/Rivera fiasco.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a certain ninja picking the lock to his front door. He sighed. "If she has stopped pretending to not understand English, maybe it's time I stopped pretending to not hear her coming," he thought to himself.

"In the bedroom, Zi!" He yelled once he heard the front door gently close.

Tony could make out her lithe form sauntering into the room, even in the dark. He bounced as she jumped onto the bed beside him.

"Ah, so you also have a particular side of the bed to sleep on, yes?" She smirked and playfully patted his chest as she wriggled to get comfortable on her stomach.

"Gimme another month," he grinned as he looked down at her. "I'll get over it and be back to taking up the whole mattress, yet again."

The unmistakable flash of pain that crossed Ziva's face was gone as quickly as it had come, and Tony cleared his throat to change the subject. "So, whaddya doin' here? No plans for a hot, young, ninja like yourself this evening?"

"Actually, I do have plans. I planned on watching a movie, eating pizza, and drinking beer with a certain older…what did you call him? Suit…this evening."

Tony's eyes bulged out of his head as Ziva stifled her laughter. "You made plans with Tolin? Are you kidding me?"

Ziva couldn't hold it any longer and threw her face into the comforter, her whole body shaking with laughter.

Tony sat up, trying to pry Ziva's face from the blanket. "Why is that so funny? Have you lost your mind?"

Ziva picked her head up, propping herself upright once again on her elbows and met Tony's incredulous gaze. "You wear a suit every day, do you not, Tony?"

"Yeah, so…?" His eyes darted about in the air, still holding onto her arms and leaning forward, trying to glean her meaning from the air between them. He grinned his widest smile and met her eyes with his own, shining with understanding. "Am I to understand that you find me attractive, Agent David?"

Ziva closed the gap between them and whispered slowly, "I think your investigative skills are definitely on par with Gibbs'." She brushed his lips gently with her own.

Tony spoke against their still connected mouths, "I never said it wasn't. I said I didn't have his gut." He resumed the gentle kiss, only to break away again. "Why are you here, Ziva? To torture me?"

Ziva immediately broke away and sat up at the mention of an all too familiar question from the past. Tony, realizing his spoken faux pas, reached for her and pulled her against him as he readjusted them to lean up against the headboard, while reaching to turn on the bedside lamp with his other arm. Wrapping his arms around her, he was always surprised when she let him be the stronger partner.

"I'm sorry, Zi. I didn't mean…I mean, I wasn't thinking…"

Ziva turned in his embrace and put a single finger to his lips to stop his stuttering. "Ssh. I know." She turned her back into his chest again and wrapped his arms tighter around herself.

Tony kissed the top of her head and squeezed just a little tighter. "I mean, what are _we_ doing, here, Ziva? It's like we're getting along better than ever, so why are we still apart?"

"We simply cannot be together, Tony. We are partners, and we are very good at comforting one another after so many years of mind reading. But, that is all we can be." She sighed.

"So, you are only here because you think I need comforting?" he scoffed, loosening his hold on her.

She turned her head to look at him, "You do not?"

He let his head fall back and hit (a little too hard) the headboard. He winced, and brought a hand up to rub the back of his head. "I thought I pulled off that performance rather well. Ya think probie at least bought it?"

Ziva turned around and straddled Tony, smirking at his expression of surprise. She removed his hand from his head and leaned him forward, massaging his scalp. She cocked her head in thought as she mindlessly rubbed Tony's sore spot. "I think he did. I think he was relieved that you did not make a scene with Ron….Tony? Did you hear me?" She stopped her ministrations and put her hands on her own hips.

"Huh? What? Yeah, I heard you. I don't really care anymore. S'all good."

"Anthony DiNozzo, if you do not stop drooling on my chest right now, I swear I will headslap you worse than Gibbs has ever done!"

Tony lifted his head, laughing. "What? You just got done fixing my head! And you did a _great_ job of comforting me, Ziva." He grinned.

She put her hands on each of his cheeks, and playfully slapped at them.

He put his hands on her waist and sighed, looking at her forlornly.

"What?" She raised her eyebrow suspiciously at him.

"It's just sad that this has to end because you won't talk to me," he said quietly.

"Yes, it is sad this has to end because neither of us will ever give up our crazy careers to really settle down." She kissed his mouth firmly, then climbed off him and stood beside the bed. "I brought the pizza and the beer. Shall I choose the movie, as well?"

Tony sat up, put his legs over the side of the bed, and began loosening his tie. "Yeah, pick whatever you want, honey."

Ziva turned around at the door, and raised her brow. "Honey?"

Tony shrugged and gave her his trademark smile. "Just goes to prove I can settle down, if you can learn to open up."

Ziva, smirked, rolled her eyes and walked out the door.

**Well, I hope that makes all you naysayers happy! ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Alright, post-ep for Royals & Loyals. Boy, does this episode have the anti-Tiva faction up in arms! And yet, I still don't believe they're truly together. I think the last conversation of the episode pretty much proves that. I also really don't see how the "R" from the emails could be DiNozzo Sr. That makes absolutely no sense. On that note, here's my little idea of what I **_**wish**_** would be happening behind the scenes, but in a slightly more realistic world.**

"You are so predictable."

Tony looked up from his takeout container of Chinese with his mouth full of food and a surprised, yet questioning look in his eyes.

"I thought you said you were going home?" He choked out, trying to swallow his food.

Ziva disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two beers, holding one out to the man, still trying to swallow the massive bite.

"I was. I received a call about the commotion at my desk…caused by you."

"You want some of this? I only ordered one, since I thought I'd be dining alone." He held the container out to her.

"Do not attempt to change the subject, Tony," she said coolly, crossing her arms and leaning back into the couch, glaring at him. Just as he scooped another bite from the box with his chopsticks, Ziva snatched the carton away from him.

"What the hell, Ziva?" He yelled as he spilled his Chinese onto his shirt.

Smirking, she also grabbed the chopsticks and began to eat the rest of the carton.

Tony glared at her, while rising from the couch and heading toward the kitchen. "Fair enough. Guess I deserved that one."

Ziva yelled to the man in the next room, "How could you say I was priceless and then go and violate my privacy in such a public manner?"

Tony came out of the kitchen, dress shirt in hand, after giving up the battle with the stain. He grinned at her before heading down the hallway. "I lied."

An hour and a bowl of shared popcorn later, Ziva turned to Tony, who was still intently watching his choice of film. "This is precisely why we could never work out, you know, Tony."

Keeping his eyes glued to the screen, "What is?"

"You tell me I have no friends, and then you can not let me have any. We work together, we spend our evenings together. Do we not also need lives separate from each other?"

A flash of epiphany crossed his face and now he turned his entire body towards her. "You're not operating under orders! This really is just some random guy you met in Miami!"

"I never said I was under orders," she replied, reaching for her drink.

"Yes, you did! You said there would always be orders and secrets, and neither one of us would be willing to give up our careers!"

"I was referring to _your_ orders, Tony. I never said I had any…besides the actual assignment to go to Miami." She returned her attention back to the flick.

"You ARE still mad about me missing your ceremony! I knew it!" He cried.

"No, Tony. I truly am not angry. I was, however, deeply hurt." She turned to look at him. "Do you remember when I said I was not interested in Dunham? I came to settle down and build a life, here? Do you remember?"

He thought about it for a minute, then, "Yeah, I remember."

"When I discovered your note on the night stand, my initial reaction was relief that something had not happened to you. Then, my relief turned to anger that you could not, or would not, say anything to me about the assignment. You chose to just leave a note. After all the promises about being there, and all the support you gave me about it, you just left with nothing more than a note. You _are_ Dunham, Tony. The job will always come first." She turned back to the television.

"You know what, Ziva? You're right. The job will always come first. I was doing this job long before you came around. I was left behind doing it when you decided to play the ill-fated heroine back in Israel. I'll be doing it as long as my knee and lungs hold out, or until I finally bite it. I might be Dunham, but seems to me you're still the same old Ziva." He reached for his beer, took a long swig, then also turned back to the screen.

She looked at him incredulously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"When it comes to men, you have shit for brains."

"What is THAT supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly that. You make poor choices, which is weird for a supposedly Mossad-trained operative. You fall in love with a guy you're assigned to, who's already dying of radiation poisoning, who you've only known for less than 24 hours. You sleep with a guy who is a potential serial killer, just so you can feel better about your near-death experience while under cover, which I still can't quite figure out why it bothered you so much, being with Mossad as many years as you were." He paused to catch his breath and take another swig of beer. "And don't even get me started on Rivkin." He went back to watching the movie, as if nothing had been said. "And now, you're right back at square one."

Ziva threw her head back in pure, unadulterated laughter, causing Tony to jump and spill his beer onto his lap. "Well, that is rich, Tony!"

"Awww, dammit! Not again!" He jumped up from the couch, set his beer on the table and stalked back to his bedroom. "What's so rich about it?" He yelled.

"This all coming from the man who becomes obsessed over a woman, who is also dying of radiation poisoning, who you have _never_ before met; multiple flings with nameless women…and do not even get me started on _your_ undercover op!" She yelled back.

He returned to the living room, freshly changed, grabbed his bottle from the coffee table and sat back down on the couch, putting his arm around Ziva's shoulders. "Yep, we're just a pair of emotionally challenged lovebirds, aren't we?" He held out his drink in a gesture of cheers.

She clinked her bottle with his and replied, "Birds of a feather flock together."

Tony raised his brows at Ziva. "I'm impressed! I'm still not moving back in."

"Agreed."

**And now, ladies and gents, I am all caught up for the new season! I'll "see" you all Wednesday morning!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Wow, with all the fodder in this episode, it's remarkable it's taken me so long to write and post this. What can I say? Lack of motivation trumps all.**

"You guys sure you'll be alright? You don't need anything else?" McGee asked for the umpteenth time.

Ziva rolled her eyes while Tony rolled his head. "Naw, man. We're good. Thanks for driving us home, McNanny." He squeaked out from his seat on the couch.

McGee raised his eyebrow in question, but snorted and began to make his way out of Ziva's apartment. "Yeah, I can see you're feeling much better, now. You two are just lucky you were able to convince Gibbs and Ducky that you didn't need to be kept overnight for observation. I can't believe you volunteered for Tony on meds duty, Ziva. You have no idea what you're in for."

"Oh, but she does…" Tony laughed softly, then winced and coughed.

"It is alright, McGee. I convinced them by saying we would be together. At least he is not permitted to speak…much." She grimaced.

"Are you sure you're feeling up to this? You got jarred pretty good, too." McGee rubbed the back of his head, struggling internally with leaving his friend alone with their partner in her slightly compromised condition.

Ziva laughed heartily. "Please, McGee. I have survived worse. At least there is no truth serum in his blood, yes?"

McGee paled, then blushed, unbelieving that she had just made such a reference in jest, but Ziva winked at him and walked him to the door.

"We will be fine. And I will call you if I cannot handle him myself, yes?" She smiled warmly as she opened the door, and gestured to the couch, where Tony was already snoring loudly.

"Alright, but if anything happens to you two, Gibbs is gonna have _my_ ass. So, please call if you need _anything._" Tim snickered and stepped out into the hall and turned to eye Ziva suspiciously one last time. "Ziva?"

"Yes, Tim. I heard you. I promise I will call." She sighed exasperatedly.

"No, not that. When did Tony start putting flower arrangements and candle holders on his walls?" He looked around the inside of the apartment, suddenly noticing all the feminine touches, and shocked that he never noticed them before.

Ziva's eyes widened imperceptibly, yet she quickly recovered. "That is something you will have to take up with him when he is coherent." She smiled sweetly and closed the door, bidding her friend goodnight.

Ziva tiredly made her way over to the couch and plopped down, inadvertently, on Tony's feet. Instead of jumping up, she threw her head back into the couch cushions and ran her hand over her exhausted face. "Oh, how could we have been so stupid? They didn't even know we lived here together, let alone that it's now my apartment and you have moved."

"Tim might not know, but someone has to. Your mail gets delivered here, doesn't it?" Tony hoarsely replied, startling Ziva from thinking aloud.

"I thought you were asleep? Why do you sound so lucid?" She eyed him suspiciously and moved to lay beside him when he opened his arms to her.

"Meds are wearing off, and I heard you talking, so I answered your question." He whispered.

She rolled her head towards him to study his face closely. "You truly are incapable of not talking, aren't you?"

"And you truly are incapable of forgoing close physical contact with me," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "But, I thought we were going to keep it out of the office." He yelped in a high pitch when she pinched his chest.

"We _did_ keep it out of the office. And you are only here now as a means of keeping myself from an overnight stay in the hospital."

"Really? Then, why did you maul me in the park? And why are you laying here with me, now?" He grinned childishly, though his eyes remained closed.

Ziva continued to study his face pensively, not immediately replying. Then, she smirked. "Why, if you miss the 'old' Ziva so much, Tony, is that your…knee I am feeling, again?"

"That's not my knee," he whispered with a straight face.

"Of course not, but I would not want to flatter myself," she muttered.

"You don't need to flatter yourself when I am around. I'm always willing to help you out." Tony sniffled, then yawned.

"Speaking of helping me out, what exactly did you say to Tim?" She eyed him suspiciously, though his face remained relaxed and his eyes closed.

"When? On the way home? Probably a lot of things; I was pretty looped," he mumbled.

"No, earlier during the case. When I was meeting with Haskell. He would not stop asking me about our time masquerading as the Rainiers. He kept questioning how much of the op was real or acted? What were you two discussing while you were supposedly acting as my back-up?"

"Just what I told you before. Sometimes, I miss the old Ziva."

She rolled back over and reached for the remote on the coffee table, turning the television onto AMC.

"The old Ziva never would have turned on her TV to an American movie station." He nuzzled his face into her hair.

"This is a bad thing for you? I can always tune into the news, or the Israeli networks I pay an arm and a leg for." She yawned and cuddled closer to him.

He chuckled lowly. "Contractions, idioms and cuddling? Are you trying to prove a point, here?"

She gasped and turned her head so she could see his face, narrowing her eyes at him. "When did I use a contraction?"

"You said, and I quote, 'You are truly incapable of not talking, _aren't_ you?'"

"Hmph," she huffed as she snuggled further into his arms and closed her eyes.

"I loved you then, and I love you now, Ziva," he croaked.

"If that is not the meds talking, then you must have a concussion," she whispered.

"You gave me that, too, darling." He kissed her head again, for good measure.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Post-ep for Cracked. Changing this one up a bit, since "Ethel" kind of throws a wrench in my whole plot. That's ok, TPTB, I can roll with it.**

"Happy Halloween, Zi-va!" Even in the midst of all the noise of the bar, the unmistakable bellow of Anthony DiNozzo's voice gave him away, before the arms suddenly wrapped around her resulted in a public display of aggression. He sat down on the stool next to her, clearly intoxicated from his antics that evening. It was a nice change, however, from the brooding, melancholy drunkenness that she was used to in her partner.

"Happy Halloween, to you, too, Tony." Ziva took a long swig of her drink, then raised her eyebrow at him. "Where is Ethel?" She slurred out the name, belying her state of non-sobriety, and impartiality.

Even in his drunken state, the annoyance did not escape Tony's attention. "Awww, come on. You're not serious, are you?" He punched her in the shoulder playfully, causing himself to nearly fall from his already precarious perch.

She narrowed her eyes dangerously at him. "Do not touch me again, or it will cost you."

He laughed nervously and faced the bar, raising his glass to signal for another refill. "Funny thing about that. Seems it already has. What're you drinking?"

"I did not mean it would cost you another round, and you know it." She was clearly irritated by his presence, this evening.

"I never said it would; I was just trying to be a gentleman."

Ziva laughed openly and heartily over that.

"Another rum and coke, and a mojito for the lady. Thanks," he said as the bartender turned to fill the orders.

"And why is that so funny? What're you doing here, anyway?" He turned to face her, again.

Ziva finished off her drink before answering. "Abby and Tim were supposed to meet me here. They are late." She scowled. "We did not know you would be here."

"Why are you so mad at me tonight?" He turned to retrieve their drinks from the bartender and put some cash down.

"I am not mad, Tony. I am annoyed. Go be drunk with your date…somewhere that is not here."

At this, Tony openly laughed, but made no reply.

"What is so funny?" Ziva began sucking down her drink greedily.

"It's always funny when you're annoyed with me. Well, not always. I can think of one time it was really anything but funny. No, scratch that. I can think of a few times it wasn't funny. But, this time it is." He sipped his drink casually, scanning the area for their friends. "So, why so annoyed with me, this time?"

"When are you going to grow up and stop acting like a child? Do you even realize how much of a fool you made of yourself in that, that clown suit? And for the record, no one, and I mean _no one_, enjoys hearing about your sexual exploits at work. If you need the attention so badly, why do you not try acting like a better agent? Then, perhaps Tim and I would respect you, instead of being annoyed by you. And Gibbs would have less reason to create a bald spot on the back of your head."

Tony had been taking the tirade in good stride, letting her get whatever was bugging her out of her system, so that she would stop being mad at him, but at the last, blanched and swung towards her so rapidly that he spilled most of his drink.

"You think I'm going bald?" he practically screamed, frantically rubbing the back of his head, just to confirm how much hair was truly there.

"Well, do not rub it more! Did you not hear a word I said? You cannot even take an insult seriously!" Ziva threw her head in her hands, her elbows propped on the bar.

She felt his hand on her shoulder, and his voice quieted. "What's really bothering you, Zi? Because I definitely do not have a bald spot."

She raised her head and shrugged off his touch. "I do not know. We agreed to part ways. I am just being…unfair. And grouchy. I should not have started off the night with tequila. I am sorry. Go back to your date and have a good time." She reached for her drink again and began to finish it off, when Tony grabbed the glass, setting it back on the bar.

"I think you've had enough," he gently admonished.

"I am not the one who is so drunk I fell of my chair and spilled my drink!" She huffed. "And, you do not get to tell me what to do!" she glared in his direction, picking up her glass and swallowing the last of the liquid in one gulp.

"Well, that's pretty rich coming from the woman who just told me how to do a job I've been doing _way_ longer than her, who gets drunk over a made-up date with a man _she_ broke up with, but finds it perfectly acceptable to shove _her_ Miami heat in my face every chance _she_ gets, in front of our co-wokers!" he bellowed.

She raised her brow and turned to face him directly. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me well enough. Since you're not the drunk one." He sneered and turned to leave. "Abs and McGoo are here. Enjoy your evening."

She reached out to grab his arm, which he angrily shook off, and made his way back into the crowd.

Abby and Tim made their way to Ziva, still sitting at the bar, her eyes following Tony as he stopped at a group of men to retrieve his coat, and then made his way towards the entrance.

"Hey, Ziva! Sorry we're late! Was that Tony? What happened to his hot date? And, where's his costume? I heard it was awesome!" Abby gushed out, enveloping her friend in a hug.

Tim raised an eyebrow, as he looked between Ziva and Tony, now exiting the bar, but said nothing and instead hailed the bartender.

Ziva turned back towards the bar, putting her best smile on for her friends. "I honestly do not know. I'll take another shot of tequila and a rum and coke, please."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Post-ep for Broken Arrow. I tried to change the venue a bit, because I don't feel they're in a place where they'd be visiting each other's homes, right now. But, I do feel that they have a very unhealthy obsession with each other that doesn't allow them to just completely walk away, either. And unfortunately, 8.12 just aired, and it's only getting worse, but I'm gonna keep up with this until they absolutely, completely kill off any hope in cannon.**

He felt her presence before she sidled up to him and took a seat, without asking, beside him at the bar. He inwardly cringed and felt his muscles tighten. He really didn't need this, right now.

"I thought I might find you here. Are you alright, Tony?" she inquired softly.

"Yeah, I was actually doing just fine until you came along, Zi-va. Come to throw in my face about how great my Dad's hand felt on your ass? Or, maybe, for a smug 'I told you so' in regards to the fight you got him involved in, instead of pulling him out of there when I asked you? I do so love when you completely ignore me, but obey Gibbs' every whim and command." He took a long swig of his drink and mentally head-slapped himself. The verbal diarrhea was out there. No taking it back, now. Might as well redirect.

"Although, I must say, I was rather impressed with his abilities. Didn't know he had it in him. And, if you did enjoy his groping, you'd be the hottest step-mom I've ever had." He chuckled lowly before taking another gulp, and raising his glass to signal the bartender for more. "You want a drink?"

"Well, Tony, I do not know. Do you want me to stay or to leave?" she asked, coolly.

He shrugged casually, "Up to you. It's a free country, and you have that fancy, little passport to prove you belong to it, now."

She rested her arms on the bar, and leaned in towards him. "You do not seem fine, Tony. What is wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong!" He plastered his best smile on and shrugged, not making direct eye contact.

"Tony." She gave him a knowing look. "Then, why are you here?"

She was surprised to see his eyes glaze over with tears, then hang his head limply between his hunched shoulders. He shook his head and laughed dryly.

"The last time you asked me that, I had to fight really hard not to tell you the truth, and still half of it came out." He raised his head and looked her in the eyes, and she remembered, as well.

She stiffened visibly, then forced herself to relax. "Well, this is hardly the same. The environment is much more…comfortable. I think I'll take that drink, now."

Tony hailed the man behind the counter, again, and nodded towards his partner.

"I will have whatever he is having. Bourbon this evening, yes?" She smirked at Tony. "Why did you not go to Gibbs' for this?"

"I had a nice, long talk with Dad. Didn't feel much like talking anymore tonight. Came here after I dropped him off at the airport; didn't feel much like going home, either."

"Well, Gibbs is always good for not talking, as well. I thought your father was taking the train back to New York?" She sipped from her glass, as she raised her eyebrows to him.

"Well, that old dog is full of new tricks. Seems he caught a ride from 'the big boss.'" He gestured with air quotes.

Ziva wore a look of confusion, thought about it, then took a breath and asked, "Springsteen?"

Tony immediately began choking on his drink and coughing profusely, to which Ziva began to hit his back with her fist. He raised his hand to stop her as he tried to catch his breath.

"You think my dad caught a flight with Bruce Springsteen," he chuckled. "Oh, that's great. I didn't even think you knew who The Boss was! But, uh, no…I was referring to Donald Trump." He laughed again and took another drink.

"I honestly cannot pretend to know who that is. Why is it so surprising?"

"Uh, I guess it's not, anymore. I never realized all the connections the man has." Tony laughed again.

"Well, did you two get a chance to talk, catch up?" She grimaced, and he couldn't be sure, but he guessed why she cared so much.

"Uh, yeah, actually. We had a really nice talk before he left. We both agreed to try a little harder, and…and I think it's gonna be OK." He smiled, remembering the photo his dad had shown him.

Ziva downed the rest of her drink in one swig, and raised her glass for more. "I will get the next round, Tony."

He raised his brows at her, but said nothing until they each had fresh drinks in front of them. After he'd taken another gulp and steeled his nerves, he took a breath and squared his shoulders. "He asked about us, you know."

"The team?" She sipped her drink slowly, this time and looked at Tony in confusion.

"Yeah, the team." He shook his head in the negative. "No, he asked about you and I. Said if there was nothing going on, he was gonna make his move."

Ziva laughed and snorted her drink. "Why did he not ask your permission to make his move on Abby, as well?"

Now, it was Tony's turn to laugh. "I think Abs is a bit much for the old man to handle. Although, he clearly doesn't know you that well…" he gestured towards her.

She smirked, "He obviously does not know me well enough to know your permission was not necessary." She winked at him to show she was joking.

"Heh. Yeah." He tugged at his collar, which suddenly seemed to be choking him in a death grip. "I was surprised he even asked, first. I really didn't think he was gonna go for it on the op, though. I am sorry about that."

"Well, I suppose I do have you to blame." She snickered.

He raised an eyebrow in question and took another drink. She knew what he meant.

"You must have told him it was alright," she smirked before drinking more herself.

Tony's face grew serious and he faced the bar, no longer looking at her.

"What was I supposed to tell him, Zi? That I'm madly in love with you? That I kinda hoped you'd be the woman to give him grandkids, someday?" He ran his hand through his hair and finished off his drink, signaling the bartender without hesitation. He laughed dryly, "That would've gone over well."

She frowned and touched his arm. "What did you tell him, then, Tony?"

He glared at her and shrugged her hand away, before taking all of his drink in one swill. "The truth. That there's nothing between us. We're just partners."

She took a deep breath and faced the bar as well. "He obviously believed you."

"Why wouldn't he? I didn't even have to act, that time."

She sighed, before finishing off her drink. "No. I suppose you did not."

The sat in silence for several minutes before raising their glasses for more. There would be no more talking tonight, only drinking.


End file.
